A public relations audit of government communication and their role in the development of rural areas in the Mafikeng District, with specific reference to the Montshiwa and Motlhabeng villages

Abstract

In 1995 the government set up an independent task team(Comtask) to study South African communication challenges and to recommend to government how to address these challenges. The team observed the following issues about government communication: * Communication suffered from poor morale and lack of mandate, * Overall government lacked central co-ordination in messaging, * Adequate planning of information campaigns and communication was given a low priority (Burger 2004). Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) was established in terms of section 7 sub 2 & 3 of the Public Service Act, 1994 as amended. The GCIS was officially launched on the 18th of May 1998, with a vision to assist with the communication and information needs of government and the people to ensure a better life for all, and a mission to provide leadership in government communication and to ensure that the publics are informed of governments implementation of its mandate. GCIS strategic objectives are to ensure that the voice of Government is heard, foster a more positive communication environment, have a clear understanding of the publics information of Government communication needs, promote interactive communication between government and the public, and set high standards for government communication.

To reach its objectives, the CGIS aims to provide excellent media and communication service to government departments, make government information centres (GICs) and Multi-Purpose Community Centres (MPCCs) critical elements of government communication. It assists in developing media, communication and information policy, ensures efficient services to the media, and produce information products for dissemination to citizens. It also integrates the international marketing South Africa, and continually transform itself and to develop its management and employees to meet the demands of its mandate. The results of the present study indicate that that the Government has not achieved its mandate to get the government services closer to the people. Most of the respondents do not know the roles of the Government Communication and Information Systems and neither do they know of the MPCCs and the role they are suppose to play. The MPCC initiative is an ideal situation but presently not yet a reality. The Government itself lacks coordination and monitoring systems and the problems it is also facing is that of capacity and expertise, compounded by the fact that most communicators lack skill and are not qualified to be in the posts of coordinating communication strategies. There is also lack of positive relation between political principals and communications officers. Recommendations are that a crash course on Organisational Communication should be developed for political principal in order to show them the importance of their communication office.

Secondly, optimise establishments where communities congregate or frequently meet to obtain services and information with the idea of supplementing their communication capacity. To eliminate the problems of lack of capacity and expertise, only candidates with qualification should be employed, especially head of departments and clusters.